Chit Chatting with Catherine Forster
J: Tell us about yourself and how you got your start writing?
C: I am an artist, a filmmaker, a writer, a mother, a wife, and a kayaker who loves to bake. I suspect I’ve been an artist since the day that first crayon was placed in my hand, however, my journey to becoming a professional artist was not straightforward. Science was also one of my interests growing up. After catching a fish, I would dissected it. The same fate awaited frogs and snakes that had recently passed––not at my doing. I was fascinated by what one couldn’t see, what lay below the surface. Hence a microscope would ultimately become the tool of my first profession, microbiology.
After a time, I grew tired of lab work and earned an MBA. That took me to London and years of business travel, with plenty of leisure travel to boot. Rewarding as it was, I always wondered whether I had something to offer in the field of art, and decided to find out. I earned a Master in fine Arts and have been a professional artist ever since.
Writing, on the other hand, was not a venture I planned or entered with zeal. I am mildly dyslexic, enough to view words as the enemy. Chasing Tarzan was the impetus to write. I began with drawings. Words began to invade, and eventually won out.
J: Tell us about your book "Chasing Tarzan." How did you come up with the title for your book?
C: Chasing Tarzan is about the long-term effects of bullying. At its heart, it is also a story about mothers and daughters. The rekindling of my own memories of being bullied and my daughter's struggle with her tormentors inspired CHASING TARZAN. Like many people, I buried the painful memories of my childhood, locking them in deep within my head. My own child’s struggle and a safari trip to Africa brought them roaring back. On safari, I imagined Tarzan everywhere: peeking into our tent, riding a bull elephant, running alongside wildebeest. It was as if he were chasing me, or my memories were. In writing Chasing Tarzan, I upended the paradigm––I was chasing him, hunting for the meaning of those hidden memories.
J: This book is a Memoir. How hard was it to write it?
C: Close to unbearable at times. Reliving the memories wasn’t as difficult as exposing them. Grappling with how loved ones might receive the book was an onerous load. Treating everyone fairly was also a heavy burden. There were times when I questioned whether to finish the book.
In addition, I had to learn how to write a book. Not an easy task or one that can be grasped overnight. The book went through seven edits, three were complete re-writes. Looking back on the painful and arduous process of becoming a writer, I am proud of that journey and the book it produced.
J: What are you currently working on? Can you tell us a little bit about it?
C: SORRY CAKES FOR SUPPER. My first work of fiction. Once more I must learn how to write a book, this time fiction. The main character, Judyth, is on the cusp of her fiftith birthday. The story alternates between Judyth’s week with her granddaughter and flashbacks of Judyth’s childhood, between 1914 and 1920. Judyth is content with the life she has created, where emotions are kept at arm’s length, until her son shows up on her doorstep and deposits his six-year old daughter. The child has stopped talking for no apparent reason. Her distress and ghost-like presence shatter Judyth’s carefully crafted world. The story takes her from a joyful child to a reticent adult, yet it is the course of one week spent with her granddaughter that is most life-changing.
J: You are talented. Tell us about some of your movies/films and artwork.
C: If you were to peruse my website, you would find a variety of mediums deployed in my artwork. My projects are themed based. A concept evolves first, the medium follows. I may experiment with several formats (drawing, painting, film, installation) before decided which format communicates the concept most effectively. In addition, my films are short (up to 20 minutes) and experimental. Experimental films are unlike conventional films in that they challenge the nature of filmmaking, are rarely narrative based, and play with form and film technology.
My films explore present day concerns. Currently, I have two films screening on the film festival scene: Longing for a Shadow, and Memory Care … the long goodbye. Longing For A Shadow explores isolation and social distancing during COVID-19. Memory Care ... the long goodbye probes both the loss of self and the loss of a loved one from brain damage or the ravages of age. The video explores elements that touch both the afflicted and their loved ones: confusion, isolation, helplessness, hope, and defeat. Both videos are without dialogue, and include soundtracks I composed. If you are intrigued, you can watch them on VIMEO. https://vimeo.com/user470930
J: What do you enjoy doing the most? Writing, artwork, or movies/films?
C: To me they are platforms for exploring issues and themes I am interested in. They are equally intriguing to me, just different. Writing is more cerebral, painting more physical, and filming is physical in the doing and solely a head game when editing. What I like is the steps between them, how they arrest different components of my abilities, my body, my emotions.
J: What advice would you give someone in general?
C: An interesting question. Without a context, it’s hard to say, but I’ll give it a try. One thing I learned from writing the book is, don’t second guess people. As a child, I assumed my mother abandoned me or did not care to advocate for me, but this was not true; she was simply ill-equipped to provide me with what I needed at the time. It’s impossible to know what’s in someone’s head, what they’ve experienced, what sorrows they are carrying, what hurdles they’ve had to jump or conquer. As the old saying goes, "Give someone the benefit of the doubt" (originating in 1798 from an Irish treason case), is true today.
J: Are you on any social networking sites? If so, which ones? Do you have a website?
C: Of course.
Website: https://catforster.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.forster
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catforster/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DizzCat
VIMEO: https://vimeo.com/user470930
J: is there anything else you want to add or say to your readers?
C: I would say, that if the book resonates with you because you too were a target, know it was abuse and you are a survivor. Several of my readers have been so moved by the book that they have bought it for their local schools and school counselors. As a result of this book, I hope readers will be more vigilant and step in when they witness bullying, and remember a kind word can make all the difference for a child.
J: Thank you for the interview. It was an honor. Have a great day.
C: You, too! This was fun.
Chit Chatting with Catherine Forster
J: Tell us about yourself and how you got your start writing?
C: I am and artist, a filmmaker, a writer, a mother, a wife, and a kayaker who loves to bake. I suspect I’ve been an artist since the day that first crayon was placed in my hand, however, my journey to becoming a professional artist was not straightforward. Science was also one of my interests growing up. After catching a fish, I would dissected it. The same fate awaited frogs and snakes that had recently passed––not at my doing. I was fascinated by what one couldn’t see, what lay below the surface. Hence a microscope would ultimately become the tool of my first profession, microbiology.
After a time, I grew tired of lab work and earned an MBA. That took me to London and years of business travel, with plenty of leisure travel to boot. Rewarding as it was, I always wondered whether I had something to offer in the field of art, and decided to find out. I earned a Master in fine Arts and have been a professional artist ever since.
Writing, on the other hand, was not a venture I planned or entered with zeal. I am mildly dyslexic, enough to view words as the enemy. Chasing Tarzan was the impetus to write. I began with drawings. Words began to invade, and eventually won out.
J: Tell us about your book "Chasing Tarzan." How did you come up with the title for your book?
C: Chasing Tarzan is about the long-term effects of bullying. At its heart, it is also a story about mothers and daughters. The rekindling of my own memories of being bullied and my daughter's struggle with her tormentors inspired CHASING TARZAN. Like many people, I buried the painful memories of my childhood, locking them in deep within my head. My own child’s struggle and a safari trip to Africa brought them roaring back. On safari, I imagined Tarzan everywhere: peeking into our tent, riding a bull elephant, running alongside wildebeest. It was as if he were chasing me, or my memories were. In writing Chasing Tarzan, I upended the paradigm––I was chasing him, hunting for the meaning of those hidden memories.
J: This book is a Memoir. How hard was it to write it?
C: Close to unbearable at times. Reliving the memories wasn’t as difficult as exposing them. Grappling with how loved ones might receive the book was an onerous load. Treating everyone fairly was also a heavy burden. There were times when I questioned whether to finish the book.
In addition, I had to learn how to write a book. Not an easy task or one that can be grasped overnight. The book went through seven edits, three were complete re-writes. Looking back on the painful and arduous process of becoming a writer, I am proud of that journey and the book it produced.
J: What are you currently working on? Can you tell us a little bit about it?
C: SORRY CAKES FOR SUPPER. My first work of fiction. Once more I must learn how to write a book, this time fiction. The main character, Judyth, is on the cusp of her fiftith birthday. The story alternates between Judyth’s week with her granddaughter and flashbacks of Judyth’s childhood, between 1914 and 1920. Judyth is content with the life she has created, where emotions are kept at arm’s length, until her son shows up on her doorstep and deposits his six-year old daughter. The child has stopped talking for no apparent reason. Her distress and ghost-like presence shatter Judyth’s carefully crafted world. The story takes her from a joyful child to a reticent adult, yet it is the course of one week spent with her granddaughter that is most life-changing.
J: You are talented. Tell us about some of your movies/films and artwork.
C: If you were to peruse my website, you would find a variety of mediums deployed in my artwork. My projects are themed based. A concept evolves first, the medium follows. I may experiment with several formats (drawing, painting, film, installation) before decided which format communicates the concept most effectively. In addition, my films are short (up to 20 minutes) and experimental. Experimental films are unlike conventional films in that they challenge the nature of filmmaking, are rarely narrative based, and play with form and film technology.
My films explore present day concerns. Currently, I have two films screening on the film festival scene: Longing for a Shadow, and Memory Care … the long goodbye. Longing For A Shadow explores isolation and social distancing during COVID-19. Memory Care ... the long goodbye probes both the loss of self and the loss of a loved one from brain damage or the ravages of age. The video explores elements that touch both the afflicted and their loved ones: confusion, isolation, helplessness, hope, and defeat. Both videos are without dialogue, and include soundtracks I composed. If you are intrigued, you can watch them on VIMEO. https://vimeo.com/user470930
J: What do you enjoy doing the most? Writing, artwork, or movies/films?
C: To me they are platforms for exploring issues and themes I am interested in. They are equally intriguing to me, just different. Writing is more cerebral, painting more physical, and filming is physical in the doing and solely a head game when editing. What I like is the steps between them, how they arrest different components of my abilities, my body, my emotions.
J: What advice would you give someone in general?
C: An interesting question. Without a context, it’s hard to say, but I’ll give it a try. One thing I learned from writing the book is, don’t second guess people. As a child, I assumed my mother abandoned me or did not care to advocate for me, but this was not true; she was simply ill-equipped to provide me with what I needed at the time. It’s impossible to know what’s in someone’s head, what they’ve experienced, what sorrows they are carrying, what hurdles they’ve had to jump or conquer. As the old saying goes, "Give someone the benefit of the doubt" (originating in 1798 from an Irish treason case), is true today
J: Are you on any social networking sites? If so, which ones? Do you have a website?
C: Of course.
Website: https://catforster.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.forster
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catforster/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DizzCat
VIMEO: https://vimeo.com/user470930
J: is there anything else you want to add or say to your readers?
C: I would say, that if the book resonates with you because you too were a target, know it was abuse and you are a survivor. Several of my readers have been so moved by the book they that have bought it for their local schools and school counselors. As a result of this book, I hope readers will be more vigilant and step in when they witness bullying, and remember a kind word can make all the difference for a child.
J: Thank you for the interview. It was an honor. Have a great day.
C: You, too! This was fun.
| Let's kick off the blog tour! |
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October 24th @ The Muffin Join us as we celebrate the launch of Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster. We'll be interviewing the author, sharing information about the book, and hosting a giveaway.
October 25th @ Pages and Paws Join the Pages and Paws blog and read the review of Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster.
October 25th @ Lisa Haselton's Reviews & Interviews Join Lisa as she interviews author Catherine Forster about her book Chasing Tarzan.
October 26th @ Author Anthony Avina's Blog Visit Anthony's page and read his review of Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster.
October 27th @ Chapter Break Join Julie as she shares a guest post by Catherine Forster about the role of imagination when children suffer torment.
October 30th @ Rockin Book Reviews Join Lu Ann as she reviews Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster.
November 2nd @ The Mommies Review Join Glenda as she reviews Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster and hosts a giveaway on her blog.
November 3rd @ Sioux's Page Visit Sioux's blog as she reads and reviews Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster.
November 4th @ The Faerie Review Join Lily as she reviews Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster.
November 5th @ Jill Sheets Blog Jill interviews Catherine Forster about her memoir Chasing Tarzan.
November 7th @ Clueless Gent Join Michael as he reviews Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster.
November 10th @ Word Magic Come by Fiona's blog and read a guest post about the mother-daughter relationship in all its complexities.
November 12th @ Just Katherine Jamie shares her thoughts about Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster.
November 13th @ Writer Advice Catherine Forster shares a guest post about how her idea for her memoir came to be and how she turned it into a novel.
November 15th @ Choices Madeline shares a guest post by Catherine Forster about the long-term effects of bullying.
November 17th @ All the Ups and Downs Join Heather as she features a guest post by Catherine Forster about the role of adults and how they can be the potential savior for the wounded child.
November 19th @ Boots, Shoes and Fashion Join Linda as she interviews author Catherine Forster about her book Chasing Tarzan.
November 19th @ Life According to Jamie Jamie shares her thoughts about Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster. |
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